Paint Me a Rainbow
by Black-and-Scarlet
Summary: Based from CP Coulter's "Dalton" :: Reed is having trouble with his painting –again. So, how can Shane's little idea help him? Reed/Shane. Rane. Characters aren't mine. R & R, please!


**Title: **Paint me a Rainbow

**Author: **Black-and-Scarlet

**Summary: **Reed is having trouble with his painting –again. So, how can Shane's little idea help him?

**Disclaimer: **No, I am not CP Coulter [I am not as wonderful and amazing as her] so therefore I do not own the characters herein. I am just a random fourteen-year-old who prefers to write fanfiction rather than review for her exams. Thanks for asking. *grins*

**Author's Notes: **I've been reading too much Jogan angst and my heart is suffering. So now, I shall indulge myself with Rane fluff. Proceed.

…x…

Reed Van Kamp heaves out a long suffering sigh and settles his paintbrush down beside him, rubbing his paint-splattered hands together. He's already finished two paintings, and according to his mother's request –or perhaps _demand_ is the better term- he is to present _five _new artworks for the upcoming event in two weeks' time. The first two, he had little trouble painting, but now, well… he just can't find any _inspiration _to do it. He doesn't know what he should paint.

Sighing once more, Reed lets his exhausted body fall back on the floor. The small, strawberry-blond, curly-haired boy stares up at the ceiling with wide brown eyes, not knowing what to do. He's been working for six straight hours now, only pausing for a few sips of coffee –he's not even that fond of the drink, but he needs it in times like this- and some bites of food. To say that he's tired is an understatement, but after all the years of pressure he's been receiving from Hilde he's kind of used to it by now.

A yawn escapes his soft pink lips and he lets his eyelids drop. Perhaps a few minutes of sleep wouldn't hurt. Yes… a nap sounds heavenly right now. Maybe he'll have one. Just for a short, short while… another yawn makes its way pass his lips and he feels himself slowly relaxing, letting the soft lull of sleep carry him away, somewhere quiet and peaceful and-

-it's at that exact moment that the door to his and Kurt's room bursts open with a loud crash against the wall, and Reed literally jumps a foot in the air and he scrambles up, looking around through wide, startled eyes. His gaze lands on the figure of a tall, lean boy with dark curly hair and green-gray eyes, a huge grin adorning his rather handsome face. The grin only widens and brightens when that green-gray gaze meets the small form on the floor.

"Hey there, Reed!"

Reed sighs in exasperation, but he can't stop the small smile that makes its way on his lips as he looks back at the other boy. "Hi, Shane."

Shane Anderson steps inside the room and immediately makes his way to Reed's side, kneeling down and absently brushing a stray lock of strawberry-blond curls. Reed giggles and swats his hand away lightly, teasingly. "Stop that, Shane."

Shane positively beams at his boyfriend, before saying, "Why? I like it. Your hair's so soft and nice to touch. Plus, you look so adorable right now."

And it's true. Reed's hair is slightly disheveled, his eyes warm and his soft, smooth skin is covered in paint. The light pink flush that suddenly dusts those porcelain cheeks of his only adds to his charm, nearly making Shane's heart stop. Reed looks down but his smile doesn't disappear. "Don't say that, Shane."

"Why?" Shane asks, holding the smaller boy's chin with the tips of his fingers and turning his head gently, so that their eyes meet. "It's true," he adds sincerely.

Reed turns positively scarlet once he sees the sincerity in the younger boy's eyes, and he smiles some more, before he gently wraps his arms around the dancer's neck. Shane flushes at the sudden contact but he happily returns it, circling his arms around the painter's waist. Reed lets out a sigh of contentment and snuggles his curly head against the other boy's chest. They remain like that for a while, simply enjoying the other's company, warmth and feel. A few minutes later, Reed looks up, tilting his head to one side, gazing at Shane through curious eyes.

"Why are you here again?" the painter asks.

Shane shrugs simply in response and moves back until his back meets the wall, taking his boyfriend with him. He leans back and tries to get comfortable, with Reed relaxing some more against his chest. The dancer smiles softly. "Well, it's never boring here, right? Just a few minutes ago I saw the twins running down the staircase with a very frustrated Dwight chasing after them."

Reed looks curious. "Dwight? What did Evan and Ethan do now?"

The strawberry-blond feels the dancer give a shrug. "I'm not exactly sure, but Dwight was yelling something about the Tweedles running around with his pendant."

"Pendant? For what?"

Shane chuckles and ruffles the smaller boy's hair. "Probably for driving off some evil spirits or something. It's really causing quite a ruckus, and you'll see it if you just bother to come out of this room for a few minutes. Which reminds me…" Shane shifts from his position so that he's looking at Reed's face, eyes full of concern, "Kurt says that you've been locking yourself up in here again. Is that true?"

Reed looks down sheepishly and his fingers move to the younger boy's chest, tracing circles and small patterns there. "Well, maybe. I've been in here for only six hours or so, it's not really been all day, so it's still okay."

Shane cups Reed's cheek and turns his head so that they're looking at each other again. "Hey, don't overwork yourself, okay?"

Reed bites his lower lip and nods. Shane smiles and kisses his cheek quickly, causing the other boy to redden. A chuckle escapes the dancer's lips and he looks around the room, noting the empty canvases and bottles of paint scattered around on Reed's half of the room. He nudges the artist's cheek with his finger and whispers, "Hey, having trouble with your paintings again?"

Reed's sigh is answer enough. Shane squeezes him quickly, arms still around the other boy, and says, "Want me to help you?"

At this, Reed looks up and blinks curiously. Shane grins and releases Reed, moving his arms away from his waist with only a slight hint of reluctance. Reed moves back, allowing Shane some room, and the dancer stands up, stretches his arms up high in the air, before offering one hand to the artist. Reed clutches it and Shane pulls him up on his feet effortlessly, easily catching Reed in his arms when he threatened to fall down. Reed smiles at him. "What do you have in mind, Shane?"

Shane returns the smile. "Well, I could probably help you paint."

The warm brown eyes widen and those pink lips open in a perfect 'o', before Reed asks, "Do you even know how to?"

Shane shrugs. "Well, all you do is dip the brush into the paint and think of something you want to portrait, then draw it on that canvas, right? Easy enough."

Reed pouts. "You make it sound so simple."

"Well it is."

"No it's not," Reed pouts some more, and Shane thinks it's the most adorable thing he's ever seen in his entire life. Reed continues speaking, "Not when you don't have the right inspiration."

"Hey," Shane nudges Reed's cheek with the tip of his nose, causing the other to blush. "I'm here. You're my inspiration. How about you?"

Reed's cheeks turn into a deeper shade of red and he glances at Shane shyly through long lashes. "Well of course you're my inspiration."

He says it so genuinely, so sincerely, that Shane gives in to the temptation and kisses him on the lips sweetly. It's just a quick peck, but it's enough to send the painter's heartbeat go ten times faster and his face to heat up. Shane lets out a hearty laugh and takes Reed's hand in his. "Now that that's settled, let's paint."

With a soft smile, Reed nods.

Moments later, they find themselves sitting down side by side, hands brushing every now and then. They are both covered in splatters of paint, both of their faces bright with warm smiles, and the canvas right in front of them isn't empty anymore. Shane isn't experienced in the art of painting, obviously, but the way he dips his brush –and sometimes even his hand- into the paint and runs it over the white canvas just makes Reed smile. They aren't even painting a definite object –just mixing colors and creating patterns. Reed never felt so happy just painting before. At one point, he threw his brush aside and joined Shane in painting with only their hands, and they both made a start at the center, and then curved it up, to the side and downwards in opposite directions, creating a shape that oddly resembles a heart.

By the time they are done, both of them are messy, but neither seems to care. They are laughing and holding each other, utterly and completely happy, perfectly content with each other. After a while, Shane speaks up. "Well, we're done. But what is it, though?"

Reed looks at the canvas, and he can't stop his growing smile from showing. For some reason, he thinks that the painting is the most beautiful piece of art he's ever seen –next to Shane, of course. "It's ours. Our very own painting. It's us, Shane."

Shane nods his agreement. "It's sort of like a rainbow, don't you think? An oddly-shaped rainbow."

"Yes. It's _our_ rainbow."

Shane kisses the top of his head. "Well, what are you going to do with it now?"

Reed giggles. "Like I'm ever going to give it to Mom. I'm keeping it. In fact, I'm going to hang it up this wall right now. Mind helping me out, Shane?"

Shane kisses him on the lips again and beams. "Of course."

…x…

Done.

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